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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Melissa Hellmann

The Black women who choose to have children on their own: ‘We’re going in eyes open’

Illustration of a mother lifting her child against a glowing orange background
Black single mothers by choice work to assemble a strong familial and social village of support. Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty Images

When Chamise Alston was ready to have a child, she connected her computer to her TV and scrolled through profiles with her best friend, dismissing people who seemed like the wrong fit. Unlike the average millennial on a dating app, Alston was scanning a sperm bank catalogue for potential donors. The Maryland-based therapist hoped to conceive a child through the assisted reproductive technology in vitro-fertilization (IVF).

That winter day in 2023, Alston and her friend chose a donor who would help her become pregnant with her now 16-month-old daughter. As a Black woman, she felt empowered taking control of her reproductive destiny.

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